1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal structure of a flat circuit body such as a flexible flat cable (FFC) and a flexible print circuit (FPC).
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in the case where circuits are electrically connected with one another by using a flat circuit body. a connector is attached to a terminal of the flat circuit body, and this connector is connected to a mating connector. As such a terminal structure of a flat circuit body, a technique shown in FIG. 1, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-208873, is known.
As shown in FIG. 1, FPC 1 as a flat circuit body is such that a plurality of conductors 2 are sandwiched by insulating films, and portions of the conductors 2 in a vicinity of a terminal portion of the FPC 1 are exposed, and contacts (connection fittings) 3 are caulked to be coupled to conductor terminals 2a. The contacts 3 are housed and arranged and supported in contact arrangement spaces 4a of a connector housing 4.
However, in the above-mentioned terminal structure of the flat circuit body, since connection portions (piercing connection portions) between the contacts 3 housed in the connector housing 4 and the conductor terminals 2a are exposed, short circuit might occur due to contact such as adhesion of foreign matters. Moreover, in the case where condensation occurs on or water drops adheres to the connection portions between the contacts 3 and the conductor terminal 2a, there arises a problem that a leak current is generated.
In addition, in the above terminal structure, fixing between the FPC 1 and the connector housing 4 is obtained by fixing between the contacts 3 and the connector housing 4. For this reason, there arises a problem that a coupling strength between the contacts 3 and the FPC 1 is weak.
Since a tension from the FPC 1 is transmitted directly to the contacts 3, the contacts 3 are likely to move in the connector housing 4, and thus contact resistance might increase.
Therefore, the present invention is devised taking the above circumstances into consideration, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a terminal structure of a flat circuit body which is capable of preventing short circuit between conductors due to moisture, foreign matters or the like and obstructing movement of connection terminals so as to prevent a fluctuation In contact resistance.
A first aspect of the present invention provides a terminal structure of a flat circuit body, comprising: a flat circuit body includes; a plurality of conductors arranged with predetermined intervals; and insulating films for sandwiching the plural conductors so as to fix the conductors; a plurality of connection terminals connected and fixed to the plural conductors respectively; a connector housing having a plurality of terminal housing chambers for housing the plural connection terminals; and a housing cover fixed to the connector housing, the housing cover having partition walls for separating terminal vicinity portions of the conductors in the flat circuit body and connection portions of the connection terminals from other adjacent conductors and other connection terminals in next side thereof, wherein the housing cover is attached so as to cover the terminal vicinity portions of the flat circuit body and the connector housing integrally.
Therefore, in the invention having such a structure, the terminal portion of the flat circuit body is covered by the housing cover, and the connection portions between the conductors and the connection terminals are separated from one another by the partition walls. As a result, adhesion of foreign matters or water drops is prevented so that the conductors or the connection terminals can be prevented from short-circuiting. The partition walls gain a creeping distance between the conductors even if electrically conductive fluid such as water drops adheres. For this reason, generation of a leak current can be prevented.
A second aspect of the present invention provides the terminal structure of the flat circuit body according to the first aspect, wherein: the housing cover has a lower cover, an upper cover and hinge portion for pivoting the upper cover with respect to the lower cover; and the partition walls are provided in such a manner that the partition wall formed on the lower cover and the other partition wall formed on the upper cover are stuck together.
Therefore, in the invention according to the second aspect, since the housing cover has the lower cover and the upper cover via the hinge portions, the connector housing and the terminal portion of the flat circuit body are sandwiched to be surrounded by the lower cover and the upper cover. As a result, the terminal structure can be formed easily.
A third aspect of the present invention provides the terminal structure of the flat circuit body according to the second aspect, wherein rear end portion of the housing cover sandwiches the terminal vicinity portions of the flat circuit body.
Therefore, in the invention according to the third aspect, the rear end portions of the housing cover sandwich the terminal vicinity of the flat circuit body. Even if a tension or a stress from the outside is transmitted via the flat circuit body, since the terminal vicinity of the flat circuit body is sandwiched and supported by the housing cover, the tension or stress is not transmitted to the connection terminals in the connector housing. As a result displacement or movement of the connection terminals can be prevented. For this reason, increase or fluctuation in contact resistance at the connection terminals can be prevented.
A fourth aspect of the present invention provides the terminal structure of the flat circuit body according to the third aspect, wherein: a stepped portion is formed on one of a rear end portion of the lower cover and a rear end portion of the upper cover; and a pier portion which is substantially stuck with the stepped portion in offset state is formed on the other of the rear end portion of the lower cover and the rear end portion of the upper cover.
Therefore, in the invention according to the fourth aspect, the terminal vicinity of the flat circuit body can be held easily only by sandwiching the terminal vicinity of the flat circuit body by means of the lower cover and the upper cover. Moreover, the terminal portion of the flat circuit body is sandwiched by the stepped portion and the pier portion so as to be sandwiched on surfaces of at least two directions. For this reason, displacement of the conductors to an extended direction can be prevented securely.